Visakhapatnam: The multinational naval exercises on and off the Visakhapatnam shore – started on Tuesday with an early morning health trek from the Dolphin Hill abutting the sea. Over 600 personnel of navies around the world, including the host Indian Navy, participated in the trek. This provided foreign delegates representing their navies an informal atmosphere to know each other ahead of Friday, February 23, to February 27 when they will showcase their maritime skills during the sea phase in the Bay of Bengal. During this period, they will be served the best of the Indian food and international cuisine prepared by the master chefs from reputed hotels in the city. Handicraft stalls will give them an opportunity to have an insight into the Indian heritage and culture, apart from maritime history of India. They can take back Indian souvenirs and memorabilia as reminder of their participation in MILAN-24. The delegates can also witness daily cultural performances, apart from participating in cultural exchanges. The MILAN-24 Village will be open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on all days during the harbour phase of the international naval exercise. The international delegates will also get to visit Taj Mahal and Bodh Gaya, apart from popular heritage and tourist places around Visakhapatnam, including Buddhist sites at Bavikonda and Thotlakonda, apart from Erramatti Dibbalu, Rushikonda, Yarada Park and Visakha Museum. The museum displays remnants of the Pakistan submarine PNS Ghazi, which had been sunk by the Indian Navy, thereby ending the Indo-Pak war of 1971. The museum also has maritime artefacts ranging from ancient tablets to models of modern warships, torpedoes, submarines and aircraft. MILAN exercise, from its humble beginnings of 1995, has metamorphosed in stature befitting global commonalities. It aligns with India’s concomitant G20 Presidency theme of “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam.” The India-led exercise complements the existing bilateral and multilateral maritime framework aimed at preserving regional peace, whilst fostering bonds of maritime brotherhood across the oceans. As the Indian Navy projects itself as the Preferred Security Partner in the region, MILAN 24 re-affirms India’s unabated diplomatic efforts aimed at progress through peace and inclusivity of all nations.
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